


Minding Birthdays

by theatrchy2004 (Terminal_Trekkie)



Series: Minding Matters [3]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Armitage Hux Has Feelings, Birthday, Birthday Fluff, Developing Relationship, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Modern Era, Past Child Abuse, Protective Poe Dameron
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-29
Updated: 2020-06-28
Packaged: 2021-03-03 22:26:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,815
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24973066
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Terminal_Trekkie/pseuds/theatrchy2004
Summary: The most dreaded milestone of any relationship. Your partner's birthday!Armitage and Poe have issues celebrating their birthdays. Can they help each other see this day is something worth celebrating?
Relationships: Poe Dameron/Armitage Hux
Series: Minding Matters [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1738927
Comments: 6
Kudos: 31





	Minding Birthdays

**Author's Note:**

> The next few fics in this AU will overlap a bit, but it all starts with this chapter. They'll be released chronologically, but I'll also try my best to include notes so as to avoid confusion; though each story can still be read on its own.

For once, Armitage had beat him home. It was a rare occurrence, but there was always an air of chaos and urgency at the start of a new semester. Needless to say, Poe had gotten swept up in it, leading to long days on campus all that week. It was finally Friday, and he was looking forward to spending the weekend with his boyfriend. 

The cold wind brushed past him sharply as he rode through the streets. Even with the extra layers under his leather coat and helmet, he could feel it biting into his skin. After parking his motorcycle he went straight to Armitage’s apartment.

When Armitage opened the door he frowned, eyeing the helmet now hoisted under Poe’s arm. “I wish you wouldn’t ride around on that deathtrap.”

Poe gave him a lopsided grin. “Come on, babe. You know I live for danger.” 

“Indeed.” Armitage narrowed his eyes disapprovingly before leaning in to give him a kiss hello. “I don’t know about you, but I’m shattered. I’ve got Thai food on the way. Hope that’s okay.”

Poe sighed in relief, setting his things on the entryway table before following Armitage into the kitchen. “More than. I couldn’t wrap my brain around dinner right now if I tried.” He took the beer offered to him. “When did you get home?”

“Maybe thirty minutes ago,” Armitage took a pull from his own beer before continuing. “I’m afraid I must tend to some things for Millicent. Think you can entertain yourself in the meantime?”

“I think I can manage,” Poe answered cheekily. He made himself comfortable on the couch while Armitage toiled away for his feline overlord. Said overlord made herself comfortable on Poe’s lap while they waited. After about fifteen minutes the buzzer sounded. 

“Bugger,” Armitage muttered from the bathroom where he was still in the process of cleaning Millicent’s litterbox. “Could you get that? There should be enough cash in my wallet. It’s on the table.”

“Sure,” Poe moved to the table, upsetting Millicent in the process. He met the delivery person downstairs and paid for the food. As he opened the wallet, though, he couldn’t help but notice his boyfriend’s I.D. staring him in the face. More than that, he was shocked to see the date of birth.

Before Armitage could even sit to eat once he’d cleaned up from his chores, Poe blurted out, “Armitage why didn’t you tell me your birthday was coming up?”

“Is it?” Armitage furrowed his brow in confusion.

Poe flopped the wallet open on the table. “I didn’t mean to snoop, but I couldn’t help but see this. Your birthday is in four days! Why didn’t you tell me?”

Armitage shrugged, digging into his Pad Thai. “It honestly didn’t occur to me. It’s just another day to me.”

“Well we have to do something to celebrate,” Poe grinned. 

“Why? I never have before.”

“Come on, never?”

“Not once.”

“Not even when you were a kid?”

Armitage quirked a ginger eyebrow. “I’ve told you about my father. Does he really strike you as the type to make a fuss over my birthday?”

Poe couldn’t help but imagine Armitage as a child, a little ginger boy all alone on his birthday. It quite frankly broke his heart. “That must have been awful. Seeing all the other kids at their birthday parties and then get nothing for your own.”

“I wasn’t allowed to attend my peers’ birthday parties, not that I was invited to many. Father felt that birthday parties were simply participation trophies handed out simply for existing; that they bred weakness. He didn’t want me participating in any way shape or form in such nonsense.”

“Have I mentioned how much I want to kill your father?” Poe growled. 

Armitage smirked affectionately, “It’s come up once or twice. Sadly, a massive coronary beat you to the punch.” He wrapped a hand over Poe’s clenched fist on the table. 

“I still think we should do something. To celebrate,” Poe insisted.

“It’s really not necessary,” Armitage shook his head. “Now eat up. You’ve barely touched your food and I know you must be starving.”

Poe obeyed, digging into his food, but that didn’t mean the wheels in his head stopped turning. He was determined to show Armitage what it was like to have people care enough to celebrate you on your birthday.

* * *

The following morning, while Armitage was out for his run, Poe had called Rey to enlist her help to plan a birthday surprise for the ginger. She was of course on board and they worked out all the plans together. Poe would cook dinner, Rose would bake a cake, Finn was in charge of beverages and Rey would tackle the decorations. 

So here they were in Poe’s apartment, waiting for Armitage to come home from work. They’d all managed to meet up an hour or so before the ginger was expected home. Finn set to work helping Rey put up the decorations while Rose helped Poe in the kitchen. 

Poe had told Armitage to come over when he was ready after work, that they’d have dinner together, so they didn’t have to create some elaborate scheme to get the man to come over at least. Everything was basically ready, they just needed the birthday boy.

Like clockwork there was a knock at the door. 

“Okay, places everyone!” Rey whispered loudly as she, Finn and Rose found hiding places. 

Poe was still grinning at their antics when he opened the door. “Hey, babe,” he greeted his boyfriend with a kiss. “Happy Birthday.”

Armitage smirked. “You remembered.”

“Of course I remembered,” taking his hand, Poe led him into the living room. 

As soon as they entered, Rey, Rose and Finn all jumped out yelling, “Surprise!”

Armitage didn’t even flinch, just continued smirking as he took in the balloons, streamers and brightly colored happy birthday banner that decked Poe’s living room.

“You’re not surprised,” Poe couldn’t decide if he was disappointed or amused.

Armitage smiled warmly at him. “You’re not exactly subtle, darling. You’ve been acting suspicious since Friday night.” He dropped a kiss to Poe’s temple. “Besides,” he turned to the group, “you lot aren’t exactly quiet. I could tell you were on the premises the moment I arrived home.”

“Why didn’t you say anything?” Poe was still bewildered that they’d been found out. 

Armitage shrugged. “It seemed important to you.”

“You’re important to me,” Poe stated simply before kissing him. Their kiss was interrupted by Rey making gagging noises. 

“If you two are quite finished, can we get on with the festivities?” she implored.

They chuckled as they broke apart, acquiescing to her request.

It was a lovely evening. Poe had made one of his favorite comfort foods, cottage pie, for dinner. The cake Rose baked was delicious. Armitage would never admit it, but when they’d brought the cake out with a candle on top and sang “Happy Birthday” to him, he got a little choked up. Somehow he managed to swallow the emotion down before blowing out the candle. He was truly surprised though, that they had brought gifts for him. 

“This is too much,” he insisted, his cheeks turning bright red.

“Don’t be silly, Hux,” Rose admonished him cheerily. “Go on, open them.”

Armitage opened each gift slowly, neatly, folding and setting aside the paper once it was free from the gift. Finn had gotten him a tasteful tie clip while Rose had given him a pair of hastily knit potholders. They didn’t really go with the rest of his decor, but Armitage knew he would hang them proudly in his kitchen regardless. He’d laughed when he opened Rey’s gift, a series of humorous books about being British. They looked at some pages together, chuckling over the jokes their American friends just did not get. 

Poe’s gift was relatively simple, a nice leather paintbrush case, complete with a full set of new paintbrushes. Armitage thanked him with a wide smile. He loved that Poe encouraged his painting hobby and didn’t make him feel ashamed of it as others had in his past. 

Armitage cleared his throat. “Thank you all. You really didn’t have to do this. I’m overwhelmed by your generosity.”

“Of course, Hux, we’re pals,” Finn clapped him on the knee. 

“Yeah. This is what friends do,” Rose added.

“So don’t be weird about it,” Rey nudged him playfully. 

Poe just smiled, happy that Armitage was so receptive to the group’s affections for him, and happy to be celebrating his birthday with him.

The party wrapped up relatively early, considering it was a school night for all present. After bidding their friends good night, Armitage found himself face to face with Poe in the narrow entryway. 

“You really didn’t have to go to any trouble,” he insisted for what was probably the twentieth time that night. 

“I know,” Poe smiled, taking his hand and pulling him close. “I wanted to. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I'm kind of crazy about you.” He pressed a kiss to his lips. 

Armitage hummed into the kiss. “I suppose I’m rather fond of you as well,” he sighed.

They didn’t break apart even when the kiss ended. Poe’s eyes scanned his face, an affectionate smile on his face that crinkled his eyes. Armitage leaned into the hand on his face, Poe’s strong thumb gently stroking his sharp cheekbone. 

“Happy Birthday, Armitage,” Poe whispered against his lips before kissing him again. 

Armitage swallowed a lump in his throat even as he returned the kiss eagerly. Even having cottoned on to the fact Poe was planning something for his birthday, he was wholly unprepared for the sea of emotions the evening had stirred in him. He had come to accept the fact that Poe cared for him, even if he felt it was undeserved; but for Rey, Finn and Rose to have joined in the effort? It was overwhelming.

When he could no longer hold back a sob, Poe broke the kiss, his face etched with concern. “Tage? What’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong. Everything’s perfect and I’m ruining it,” he wiped angrily where the tears had escaped. 

“Hey, you’re not ruining anything,Tage,” Poe reassured him. 

“I just - Thank you. Thank you, Poe, for giving me the best birthday ever,” he managed to give his boyfriend a watery smile. 

“Hey, it ain’t over yet,” Poe grinned. “You ready for part two of your gift?” 

“Part two? What more could there possibly be?” he shook his head in confusion as Poe moved away from him. 

“I dunno,” Poe was walking backwards into the living room, slowly unbuttoning his shirt as he went. “You’ll have to come to the bedroom to find out.”

Armitage let out a bark of laughter even as his nostrils flared with desire.  _ Oh yes,  _ he thought as he eagerly followed Poe further into the apartment,  _ best birthday ever. _

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Stay tuned for more from the boys!


End file.
